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·

• •

T T U R K

ND THE TRUE N TURE

I,

OF

MODERN TURKEY

y

G:f RARD TONGAS

1> LOME DE L EcOLE DES

HAUTES

ETUDES DE LA SORBONNE

SCIENCES HrnOllIQ.UES ET PHTLOLOGIQ UES

R

8 ~

TGG

Translaud from the French

by

M JOR F. F. RYND

LONDON

LUZAC

CO.

I

I



T TURK

ND

TH TRU

N TURE OF MODERN

TURK Y



• •

T T U R K

ND

THE

TRUE N TURE

OF

MODERN

TURKEY

y

GERARD TONGAS

DIPL6M

E

DE

L EcOLE DES

HAUTES

ETUDES DE

LA SORBONNE

SCIENCES

HISTORIQ.UES

ET

PHILOLOGIQ.UES

Translate from the French

by

MAJOR F. F. RYND

L O N O N

L UZAC CO.

6 GREAT RUSSELL STREET, w e

1939



Note. The French edition

of

this

work appeared before the death

of

Atattirk. This has necessitated a few

alterations

in

the original text.

89

All

Rights

of Reproduction

and Translation Reserved

. :

-: : ..

: :.'.

:: .

.

,.

: ; : : ~

:

'

;

Printed in reat Britain

at the

URLEIGH PRESS

Lewin s Mead,

BRllITOL



_

mon tres

cher

ami Enver

Zrya Karal,

proJesseur

d

Histoire

Moderne

et Contemporaine a

l

Universite

d Istanbul,

qui

m

a

appris

a

connaUre

et a

aimer

son

pays, je

dMie

e livre en

tMlOignage

d amicale reconnazssance.

GERARD TONGAS

652796



TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE

T

HE

recent agreement between

Turkey

and

Great

Britain for mutual defence should stress the need

for a

bett

er understanding

of

recent events in

that

country among the English people.

Though

written

primarily for French readers there is little in this book

which is not of general interest. Moreover

what

con-

cerns

our French

Allies should also concern ourselves.

This little work gives

in

a condensed form the results

achieved

by

the Turkish Revolution in the immediate

past

and

discusses the plans for the further development

of Turk

ey

in

the future.

Monsieur Gerard Tongas, the author, has for

many

years been a close student of Turkish affairs. Whilst a

scholar

at the

Faculte des Lettres de

Lyon

he came

into close association with

many

young Turkish students.

Through them, and s a result of his own studies, he

decided to visit their country. Whilst

in

Turkey he

lived exclusively with the people, shared their family life

and interests and by travelling extensively in the country,

came to know the leading personalities

in

all walks

of

life. His knowledge

of

Turkish affairs

appeared

so

intimate

that Kamal

Atatiirk himself remarked:

This

.Frenchman is the only Occidental who has understood

and judged us;

he knows us better than we know

ourselves.

n

his first chapter the

author

deplores the ignorance

of

his countrymen regarding

Turkey and

the prejudiced

7



8 T R A N S L A T O R S

P R E F A C E

views they ·entertain

about

the Turkish people. This

complaint

may

well find an echo in this country

Chapter

V contains an interesting resume of Turkish

relations with Foreign Powers. While determined once

for all to

rid

his country from interference

by

the

Great

Powers

in

its internal affairs the late

Kamal

Atatiirk was

ready

to enter into friendly agreements with them. In

striking contrast with the bellicose words and actions of

the Dictators of Germany and

Italy

he threatened no

State and worked only for pacific relations.

It is

a

signal proof too

of

the statesmanship of this remarkable

man that while maintaining an attitude of independence

he

did

not hesitate to seek the assistance of the Western

Powers for the peaceful development of Turkey.

From

this work

of

reconstruction

Great

Britain long held aloof

a mistaken policy both from the economic and political

point

of

view.

There

was a welcome

departure

from

this attitude however when the laying down of an iron

and

steel

plant at Karabuk

was entrusted to a British

firm in 1937. Since then this country has granted

Turkey

a credit of

16

million pounds for industrial de-

velopment

and

British experts will assist

in

working the

mining resources

of that

nation. While lamenting the

small

part

France has played

in

these activities the

author

hopes she will now recover some of the paramount

influence she has exercised

in Turkey in

the past.

Modern Turks present an unusual

phenomenon-

an

Oriental

nation looking to the Occident for help

in

the regeneration

of

their country.

F

F RYND



TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I WHY

WE

OUGHT

TO

UNDERSTAND AND

BE FRIENDLY WITH

TURKEY

I I

I I

KAMAL ATATURK :

I

His Biography

2. The

Kemalist Philosophy

I I I ANKARA SYMBOL

OF

THE TURKISH

16

24

RENOVATION

28

IV THE PROBLEM OF WATER

AND

THE

FUTURE

OF

TURKEY

V THE

PLANNED

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

OF TURKEY 36

V I

THE INSTITUTE

OF

THE

REVOLUTION

53

VI I

TURKEY

AN

ARABLE

AND

STOCK-BREED-

ING

COUNTRY

7

VI I I T H E INDUSTRIALIZATION OF

TURKEY 64

IX

FRANCO-TuRKISH

ECONOMIC RELATIONS 7

X CONCLUSION 74

X I HISTORICAL

CHRONOLOGY OF THE

TURKEY

OF

ATATURK 7

9



WH Y WE OUGHT TO UNDERSTAND AND

BE

FRIENDLY

WITH TURKEY

M

UCH

ignorance prevails

in

France on the subject

of Turkey; we have only vague ideas and deeply

seated

pr

ejudices regarding this country as I have

frequently

had

occasion to remark. We know vaguely

the geographical position of this part of the ancient

Ottoman Empire. Many people again while well

aware that

Turkey

exists in Asia Minor

are

quite

ignorant

of

the fa

ct

that

the ancestors

of

the Turks

founded in that country one of the most ancient civiliza-

tions of the world that of the Hittites.

Many

again

and this s the most serious point are far from suspecting

that the

pr

estige of France which used to be so

great

in

the Levant is being gradually extinguished though

Turkey would willingly accept French influence

in

accomplishing a revolution which is without example

in history.

Now instead of interesting themselves

in

this grand

achievement of the Turks

the

French continue to regard

them with prejudice. The very name Turk arouses

in

their imagination a picture of barbarism destruction

persecution distress and horror. These are the im-



12

ATATORK

pressions left

by

their

rapid

and

partial study

of

History,

which evokes only a feeling of

hatred

for the Turks)

these descendants of the Pillaging Huns, these infidels

who, but for the glorious intervention

of

the Crusades,

would have destroyed Europe.

Wh

-; t a grave error lies in this misconception

How

unfortunate

it is

that History, whose principal role

is to teach us that each people has its own native genius,

its good qualities and defects, its periods

of

glory

and

decadence, its periods

of

civilization

and

barbarism,

and

in a word to make us appreciate the qualities

of

other

people

and

help towards a general reunion, should

sometimes be so falsely

interpreted

For it is indeed a

false interpretation arising from a partial

and

superficial

study. To convince us

of

this it is only necessary to

take

up

the study of this History again and to examine

it

with care

and

without prejudice.

One

will then dis

cover the

truth,

that barbarism was not confined to the

Turks' ancestors,

but

that

our

ancestors were also

barbarous like those of the Greeks and Romans. Also,

at the time of the great Crusades the Christians com

mitted as many crimes as the Muslims. Moreover,

if there have been brilliant civilizations such

as

the

Egyptian, the Greek

and the Roman, there was another,

unrecognized till to-day but not less worthy of interest,

since it was the origin

of

them all, i.e., that which

recent discoveries-they only date from 1938-have

revealed to

us-the

civilization

of

the Hittites, ancestors

of

the Turks.

Why

do

we persist

in

not

viewing the Turks as they



WHY

WE OUGHT TO UNDERSTAND TURKEY

3

_ really are? Such, for instance, as Elisee Reclus

PIC-

tures them

in

his Universal eography

The

Turk who has not been corrupted by power,

whom oppression has

not

degraded, possesses

many

attractive qualities.

He

never deceives: being honest

and

truthful he is held

in

derision or pity by his

neighbours, the Greek, the Syrian, the Persian, the

Armenian. Holding his goods for the common

benefit, he gives willingly

but

demands nothing.

Whatever one may say, the abuse of ' bakshish' is

much greater in Europe than it is in the East, except

in

those towns where

the

Levantines

are

numerous.

Is there a traveller, however proud and distrustful,

who

has not been touched by the cordial reception

of the village

Turk?

Immediately he perceives him,

the head of

the

family goes to help him dismount,

salutes

him

with a smile, and with a charming gesture

stretches

in

the place

of

honour his most valuable

rug and

invites him to repose, while

he

cheerfully

prepares the repast.

Why have we forgotten that it was through Turkey

that

France played a predominant role

in

the Levant for

several centuries?

The

amicable relations between

our

two countries were born in the alliance between

Fran

<;ois

1st with Suleiman, designed to save France

from a

German

invasion. Since

then

Franco-Turlcish

friendship did not cease to grow stronger in spite of all

vicissitudes. In 1630, when French influence was

at

its height

in

the Levant, the French Ambassador at

Constantinople was a veritable vice-Emperor of the

Orient, the Grand Vizier of the Christians. Better



4

A T A T O RK

informed than the Sultan himself thanks to the Con

sulates established

at

all points of the Empire he caused

the prestige of France to spread throughout the

Near

East.

The

monopoly

of

commerce was entirely

in

his

hands: the English the Dutch the Germans the

Spaniards and the Italians were only able to trade under

his flag.

And if in spite

of

all the prestige

of France

is still very

great in Turkey t

is

owing to this long and profound

penetration.

The

influence

of

France

on

the

civilization

of

this

country is centuries

old:

the Turks are therefore

naturally friendly towards us. They are disappointed

to see that we do not respond. Thus whilst France

centre of all the great revolutions soul of all the great

movements of humanity neglects to help its old friend

in a capital

and

decisive moment of ts History Germany

the U.S.S.R.

and

England

are displacing us little

by

little. The University the banks the public works are

in great

part

organized by the Germans.

The

whole

industrialization of the country is carried

out under

the

direction of Soviet engineers. On their part the English

invest large capital sums in Turkey. Meanwhile

the

French

content themselves with

saying: "Everyone

speaks

French

in

Pera"

That

is

true and

is irre

fragible proof of our ancient influence; but that

is

not

sufficient and besides the

heart

of

Turkey

is no longer

there: if

France continues to be indifferent to Turkey

while that country

is

engaged on its work of renovation

it

will

not

be long before Franco-Turkish amity dis-



WHY WE OUGHT TO UNDERSTAND TURKEY 5

appears.

The

Turks in detaching themselves from

an

unfaithful friend will be led to make others who are

more steadfast and to whom they will be attached

by

stronger ties.

Our

indifference

not

only displays a

lack of courage it

is

also a grave mistake; it constitutes

a great danger for us.

Turkey

has a great future she

will soon become a powerful nation with whom it will

be necessary to reckon. It

is

perhaps then advisable

to be one of her friends. Turkey in her throes has given

a profound lesson to Europe when she is flourishing

she

may

provide a more formidable one.

To

consolidate Franco-Turkish amity

and

to make it

truly efficacious

it

must be mor

y

than

a mere tradition;

it

must be transformed into a practical reality

by

political economic and spiritual action common to

the

two great democracies of France and Turkey.

Let

us

then learn

to know

and

appreciate this nation

s it

understands

and

appreciates us.



KAMAL ATATt.l RK

I HIS BIOGRAPHY

E do not propose to write in a few lines the com-

plete biography

of

this man, whose extraordinary

career would furnish enough matter for a huge volume.

Besides, all the works which have been written

on

con-

temporary Turkey have treated this subject at length;

we therefore propose to give here only the main events

of his life. Atatiirk was one of an old Turkish family

and was born

in

Salonika

in

1880. His mother,

Zubeida, was more than 30 years old when he first saw

the light; it is from her he inherited his blue eyes, his

dominating and obstinate nature and his subtle mind.

His father, Ali Riza, was

at

one time in the Customs and

carried on a small business

as

wood merchant. Now,

in the midst of this peaceful household, living modestly

in

a comfortable home surrounded by beautiful gardens

called Islahane Jaddesi, was reflected the struggle

between old and modern ideas which was ultimately to

undermine the base of the

Ottoman

Empire. Whilst

Zubeida, profoundly religious, remained faithful to the

laws

of

Islam, Ali Riza was inclined to more liberal

6



ANKARA GARDE

[To f a

p

6



H I S

B I O G R P H Y

ideas. This divergence

of

view between the

mother

and

father profoundly influenced the mind of the young

Mustafa, who was destined himself to settle finally

the

conflict arising from these diverse ideologies.

When he was seven years old

and

it became necessary

to send

him

to school his parents found it difficult to

agree s to the one to be selected. Atatlirk himself had

a vivid recollection

of

these disagreements which he

records thus :

A single fact remains

in

the memory

of

my

early

childhood, but I recollect

it

very clearly. t was

concerned with my going to school, a matter about

which

my

parents had a difference

of

opinion. My

mother remained attached to the old customs a

religious sentiment,

tranquil

and

gentle, but resolute,

was at the base of

her

nature.

Thus

she

wanted

to

place me

in

one of those schools directed by a Hodj a,

where the instruction was

in

accord

with

the severe

traditions of Islam. She held this view particularly,

I think, because the

entry

into one of these schools

was attended by a religious solemnity. This

day

was to

be

distinguished from others by an especial

consecration through which the child was made aware

he now belonged to the community of Believers and

was

bound by

its precepts.

My father, on the other

hand

was a Liberal, was

rather hostile to religion and was a strong partisan

of

Western ideas.

He

would rather I went to a non-

religious school where the instruction was based not

on the

Coran but on

modern science.

My

father

brought

this conflict

of

convictions to

an end by a little manceuvre. Pretending to yield

to

my

mother's desires he agreed I should

be

placed

B



8

ATATURK

in the

school'

Fatma

Molla

Kadine' with

the usual

ceremomes.

On the morning of

my

entrance

my

mother

adorned me in a white robe

and

a gold ribbon which

she rolled

round

my

head

in

the form

of

a

turban;

in

my

hand I held a golden bough. Then the master, a

Hodja, followed by all his pupils, presented himself

at

our

door clothed

in

green; a

prayer

was recited, then,

placing the

end

of my fingers on

my

breast and fore-

head, I bowed to

my

parents

and

the master,

and

kissed

the hands of each.

Then,

amid cries of oy from

my

comrades we traversed the streets of the town towards

the

school situated

near

a mosque. Arrived there,

after another prayer, the master took me

by

the

hand

and

led me to a

bare and

vaulted room, where they

were going to reveal to

me

the sacred spheres of the

Coran.

About

six months later my father withdrew

me

from the school' Fatma Molla Kadine' and took me

to old Chemsi Effendi who conducted his school on

European

lines.

My

mother made

no objection,

being sure they were yielding to

her

wishes

and

convictions. The ceremony above all was

dear

to

her

heart.

However, Ali

Riza

died soon after,

and

the young

Mustafa was obliged to leave the school

and

go to his

mother, who installed herself with

her broth

er, a farmer

at

Lazaran,

near

to Salonika. Mustafa, adapting him-

self rapidly to his new life, was employed

in

cleaning

out

'

the stables, looking after the animals

and

guarding the

sheep and geese. This rough work and the fresh air

hardened

his physique and he became

attached

to the



HIS B IOGRAPHY

9

peasants who later

on

took a prominent

part the

struggle for the independence

of

Turkey.

It was

then that

occurred the event

that

was to open

definitely the

triumphal

road

which the young Mustafa

was to traverse so resolutely. His mother

returned

to

Salonika

and

decided to let him continue his studies.

He

pressed strongly to

be

allowed to prepare for a

soldier s career.

At

twelve years

of

age he attended the

day school at Salonika and for four years he distinguished

himself

by

his exceptional intelligence. Then passing

with

success the most severe exams, he spent three years

at

the Cadet school of Monastir, three years

at

the

Harbiych Staff school in Istanbul

and

then, two years

after, he was given the rank of Captain. Henceforth

he passed through all the grades of the military hierarchy

rapidly, impressing all

by

his powerful

brain and

diverse

capacities.

In

1910

that is at

30 years of age, he accompanied

General Ali

Riza

to Paris as a

Staff

Officer.

He

followed with deep interest the grand manreuvres

of

the French

army in

the North.

Returning

to Salonika

he was given the double

command of

the Officers school

and

the 38th Regiment.

It

was

not

long before he gave practical

proof of

his

military skill. In October, 191 I

Italy

disembarked

troops at Tripoli

and

attempted to capture the town with

a view to taking this old Turkish Province. Mustafa

Kemal, commanding the Turkish sector of Derna,

carried

out

some decisive assaults on the

Italian

lines.

Then

the World

War

gave him the opportunity to prove



20

his worth as a great commander.

On

the 25th April,

1915, the Allies, with the object of taking the Turks

in

reverse

and

opening the way to Constantinople,

at-

tempted

to disembark

en

m sse

at

Ari-Burnu,

in

the

bay

ofSuvla, unknown to the Turkish General Staff. Lieut.

Colonel Mustafa Kemal, whose troops occupied ' the

zone, took

upon himself to take the offensive and,

on

his

own initiative, broke the force

of

the Allied attack.

Then, on the 9th August, he fought victoriously at

Anafarta, paralysed the action of the Allies and won the

admiration

of

all

s

the Hero

of

the Dardanelles tragedy.

It

is important to note

th

at Mustafa Kemal, while

pursuing successfully his military career, was taking all

the time

an

active interest

in

the political s i t ~ t i o n of his

country.

He

frequented the revolutionary centres in

Salonika, Monastir_and Constantinople.

He

thus drew

upon himself the attention of the authorities.

He

was

arrested

by

order of the Sultan, Abdul Hamid, and

appeared

before a tribunal in Yildiz Palace.

In

view of the

judgment

against

him and in

order to

remove

him

from political influences he wa

S ..

sent to

Damascus where he arrived

in

time for

an

expedition

against the Druses.

During

this time the political situ

ation became more acute

and

the Young Turks became

more clamorous. Without permission and in disguise,

Mustafa Kemal returned to Salonika where he founded

a branch

of

the secret society known as Country and

Liberty which he

had

formed

in

Smyrna.

After a further period spent in Syria he managed

to

get posted to Salonika which he intended to make the



H I S B I O G R P H Y

21

centre

of

the Revolution. His partisans forced a con-

stitution

on

the Sultan. Then the secret society

Country and Liberty became official. I t influenced

the

Sultan in

the midst

of

many

vicissitudes

and

assumed

the

name of the

Committee

of

Union

and

Progress.

But

in

19IO Mustafa Kemal broke off relations with

the other heads of the Committee with the intention

of

striving

by

himself to make

Turkey

liberal

and

modern

and completely independent.

At

the

end

of the World War, England, wishing to

profit

by

the occupation

of

the strategic points

of

Asia

Minor

by

the Allies, in order to extend

her

influence

in

the

Near

East, conceived the idea of establishing a

Greek Empire on the ruins of the

Ottoman

Empire.

In

consequence, the 15th May, 1919, the Greeks

landed at Smyrna and trouble broke out immediately

among the Greek colonies in Constantinople, Trebizond

and Samsun. It was then that Mustafa Kemal realized

that the Ottoman Empire had ceased to exist but that

there was still time to save what remained, which would

constitute the real heritage of the Turks, and form the

nucleous of a State exclusively Turk. He determined

then to seize Anatolia from the invading Greeks who

were encouraged

by

the help

of

the English

and

the

indifference of the French and Italians. This is the

formidable task he set

out

to accomplish when he was

sent

by tJ; e Sultan

to Samsun

as

Inspector

of

the Army.

He too

the opportunity of awakening the national

sentiment

by

making passionate speeches

as

he traversed

the country. Rapidly the national spirit grew.

The



A T A T O R K

23rd

July,

1919, a congress opened

at

Erzeroum which

elected Mustafa

Kemal

President,

and

decided to defend

the national soil

at

all costs.

The 4th

September, 1919,

a National Congress formed

of

delegates from all

the

provinces assembled

at

Sivas

and

again elected

Kemal

President. Finally the 23rd April, 1920,

the

first

Grand

National

Assembly

consisting offive deputies

from each Sanjak was opened at Ankara. On the 2nd

May, the Assembly declared

it

represented the pro-

visional government

of

Turkey. It always elected

Mustafa

Kemal

President. Thus he became

Leader

of

the resistance

and

prepared to make that resistance

effective. During this time the Allies imposed on the

Sultan, the loth August, 1920, the famous treaty

of

Sevres, under which the spoils of the Ottoman Empire

were to be divided up. Mustafa redoubled his efforts

and

opened a general offensive

at

Sakarya, along a front

of

a 100 miles, which lasted from 23rd August to the

13th September, 1921,

and

ended

in

a complete victory

over

the

Greeks, who were driven back

as

far

as

Smyrna

and

the sea.

As

a result of this

triumph

the

Grand

National

Assembly

conferred on Mustafa

Kemal

the

rank ofa

Marshall

and

the title

ofGazi.

The

operations

continued

and

by

the 20th September, 1921,

there

was

not

a single Greek soldier

in

Anatolia.

On

the 11th October, 1922, the armistice of

Mudania

put

an

end

to this senseless conflagration. Finally the

peace conference opened

on

tIle 21st November, 1922

and,

on

the 24th

July,

1923, a

Treaty

was signed which

recognized the new Turkish State, henceforth entirely



H I S B I O G R P H Y

free to follow its destinies. This latter went on to com

plete its political organization.

On

the 29th October,

1923, the Republic was proclaimed

and

Mustafa Kemal

was elected President unanimously. Since

then

the

Gazi worked continuously to form a Turkish nation.

For I4 years,

by

a continuous process of reforms,

Turkey

has risen day

by day

towards the prosperity and power

necessary to its existence.

This great task, accomplished

in

major

part,

is far

from being completed . . . for

it

has no end. Let

us not forget

that it is

inspired

by

this fundamental

principle: W e are revolutionaries. Atatiirk, the

life and soul of this continual evolution, set an example

day by day. At 57 years

of

age, Atatiirk, full

of

vigour,

will and energy, became the Great Guide, as the

Turks justly called him,

of

the nation he 'had founded.

He

attended

personally to the

important

affairs

of

State :

he received all eminent personage

s:

in September, 1936,

King Edward VIII, in March, 1937, the President

of

Roumania, Antonesco, in May, 1937, the Minister of

Foreign Affairs in Irak, Nadgi-el-Asil. Atatiirk regu

larly inspected the different provinces of Turkey:

while quite recently he went to study the position on the

Black Sea coast. When the affair

of

Alexandretta

became critical he himself gave instructions to the

Turkish representatives On the occasion of the re

ception at Athens, the 25th May, 1937, of Ismet InonU

by General Metexas, he sent the following historical

message:

The frontiers of

the

Allied Balkan States constitute



T T O R K

a single front

and

those who have designs on it will be

struck as

by

the burning rays of the sun.

Finally

Ataturk

presided

at

linguistic, historical

and

other

conferences,

and

directed the debates.

Th

e

Great Chief

showed himself as often

s

possible to his people who always Fxpressed, with

an

indescribable enthusiasm, their profound admiration

and

attachment

to him.

2.

THE

KEMALIST

PHILOSOPHY

Together with

the Political and Economic

cri

sis

the world underwent

an

acute Social crisis.

All-or

nearly

all-the

hopes

of

the suffering classes

(workmen, peasants

and

labourers) were founded on the

community. But, experiences of the latter did not give

satisfaction. On the other

hand

many

of

the leaders

sought the truth

in

referring to the past

and

turned

towards despotism. Now despotism has been tried for

thousands of years

and

has always resulted

in

sanguinary

catastrophy for

~ ~

n i t y This social regression would

only repeat historical errors

and

involve innocent

people in further wars.

In

the face

of

this world social crisis, the new philo

sophy of Ataturk can playa mediating role between

communlsm

and

the old social regimes. Kemalism

is

distinguished

from

all other philosophies

by it

s ultra

practical

and

ultra-popular character.

It is

ultra-practical becau

se

its principles are not

meJely theory but are

at

once

put

into practice.

It

is



THE K E

MAL ST PH I

L, O

SOP

H Y

5

ultra-popular because all its efforts aim

at

studying,

elevating. and civilizing the people, that

is

the artisans,

peasants and the labouring classes. Kemalism en

deavours,

as

far as possible, to bridge the gulf which

separates these latter from the intellectual class.

Kemalism inculcates in the

popular

conscience the

notion

that

civilization means liberty and that happiness

lie ) in a life of independence, t ~ t is to say in a life

without subjection of a political, social or religious

nature.

t

attacks at the outset religious fanaticism, which it

considers a pathological element

implanted

in the human

brain by despotism.

t

suppresses all the obstacles

created

by

fanaticism

by

placing .all religions outside

the law. One can sum up in a few words the ultra

popular view on religions. They can be considered as

philosophies which have long sought for the truth.

They have applied their methods freely without bringing

happiness to mankind. On the contrary indeed, they

have divided mankind

by

giving rise to social inequal-

ities,

by

denying to women an active social life, and

by

provoking the majority

of

wars. Kemalism, however,

does

not

prevent liberty

of

conscience:

it

appreciates

religion when presented to the people in the mother

tongue. Once freed from fanaticism, conscience re

ceives from the philosophy

of

Atatiirk the formula of an

independent existence.

To

realize this, Kemalism

delivers the people from the slavery

of

Capitalism.

Wealth <;lnd Capital are, according to ultra-popular

ideas, pathological elements

in

society.

t

IS an



ATATORK

abnormal exaggeration of p e r s ~ n a l interest.

The

big

capitalists

are

a danger to the people for whom they

mean

despotism

and

misery.

Thus

Kemalism applies

etatisme

to capital, to big industry

and

commerce.

This

etatisme .

s

of great advantage to the workman,

who works in the factory as a Functionary

of

the State

disposing

of

its whole resources, and for the people who

profit direct from the money thus distributed.

Kemalism restores all government power into the

~ n d s

of the people

by

suppressing all titles, all prero

gatives

and

all the big capitalists who form

the

patho

logical

element

of

society. Also

by

popularizing

literature

and

music, it tends to elevate the intellectual

standard of

the people.

The philosophy of

Kamal

Atatiirk regards love of the

people s the real expression of humanity. Because the

real

man ofNature is

the

man of

the People

and

love

of

he People inspires the true sentiment of humanity.

The essential priI].ciple of

< e m ~ l i s m is an

independent

~ x i s t e n c e for the pe9ple. Also it induces a profound

,spirit ofpatriotism

and

nationalism;

for only a patriotic

and nationalistic people can defend its independence.

But this patriotism and nationalism does

not

prevent

international harmony.

For

if

each nation admits the

ultra-popular philosophy, it

is

obliged to respect the in

dependence

of

other nations and, without the selfishness

of the capitalist classes, the people

can

realize

an

inter

national entente. For the Kemalist, the man who does

not love his country is

not

able to love humanity. The

ultra-popular conception recognizes a

natural

equality



-

THE

K E

MAL ST PH I LOS

0 P H Y

7

between all,

as

between man and woman. It proclaims,

indeed,

that

woman is the equal of man.

Kemalism has discovered the way to a

rapid

evolution,

and

has proved

that

in

a single generation,

by

means

of

disciplined training it is able to develope a great popular

civilization.

One can

present

it

to

mankind as

a model philosophy

tested

by experience:

Kemalism has accomplished

in

ten years the work

of

ten centuries.



ANKARA: SYMBOL OF THE TURKISH RENOVATION

HE new Turkey

is

intimately associated with the

personality

of

Atatiirk. It was he who created the

Republic,

it

was he who inspired it,

it

is he who conceived

the

idea

of

founding

the

capital

at

Ankara

in

the very

heart of Anatolia, a stroke of genius.

He

wished the

capital to be the symbol of the renovation of Turkey.

By acting thus he declared to all that the past was dead:

finished the interference of foreigners

in

Constantinople

as in the good old days. Finished the eternal palace

intrigues. Finished the corruption. Finished the de-

moralizing influence

of

idleness.

The

Turkish nation

must at last take its part in History on sure

and

solid

foundations. The Capital, representing the soul of the

country, must

then

have its foundation stone laid

in

a

secure position.

Ankara

was chosen to fulfil this role :

it

is here, indeed,

that

in the most critical hours

that

Turkey

has known,

at her moment

of destiny, Atatiirk

had

concentrated the national effort

in

the struggle for

independence.

Ankara

now is the capital of a Turkish

state as opposed to Stamboul which was

handed

over

to foreign control by the Sultan.

It

was fitting

that

Ankara which had presided over the destinies of the New

Turkey should become its Capital.

8



ANKARA

SYMBOL OF THE TURKISH RENOVATION

9

Moreover it is the centre of a glorious past rich

in

memories. The ancestors of the Turks the Hittites

had

set

up

there nearly four thousand years ago one of

the

most ancient empires of the world.

The

testament

of Augustus is engraved there on the ruins of a Greek

temple.

But

that

is not all; there are other primary reasons

why

Ankara

was chosen. Strategically its position

is

of great

strength;

it is a considerable distance from any

point which could serve

as

a base for a hostile army.

Also

it

is

protected

on

all sides

by

a

chain

of

mountains

which form a natural defence. There sheltered from

attack and from influences hostile to the march of re

forms the capital will be able to extend by degrees its

civilizing influence.

However the difficulties were

immense;

enough to

discourage the most ardent if Atatiirk by his iron will

had

not

merited once more the title

of

Gazi.

The

whole

town had to be built: Ankara being only a small village

perched on

the steep and bare sides

of

a hill. The

surrounding country was desert waterless without

vegetation of any kind

and

infested with marshes which

gave rise to a malignant malaria. Everything had to be

done

in

conditions so difficult that they seemed insur

mountable. Work was immediately started with an

ardour and determination which nothing could damp

in

accordance with a plan

drawn up

by a distinguished

Berlin architect. And for more than thirteen years the

indefatigable workmen have been building a town which

already to-day excites the admiration .of the visitor.



s

T T t tR K

Malaria has been stamped out, water runs everywhere,

vegetation is springing up, and at the foot

of

the old

Ankara, the new Ankara rises with its majestic Government

offices, its Embassies, its Banks, its Institutes, its Schools,

its Factories surrounded

by

comfortable homes. This

splendid town, constructed according to the most modern

ideas of architecture, art

and

hygiene, is on the road to

become a model capital. It

is

not possible to relate all

the interesting things I noticed in my visits to the town.

I will express them thus: everywhere there exists great

comfort with great simplicity.

And

now for some

striking figures :

On the 29th October, 1925, when the Republic was

proclaimed, Ankara only possessed about 5,000 inhabi-

tants. In 1926 the capital already contained 70,000

people. By the 29th October, 1935, twelve years after

its foundation, the population amounted to 120,000.

Now

my

travels

in

Asia Minor

permit

me to say

that

the prodigious effort of Ankara was

an

example followed

by the whole of Turkey. In all the towns, in all the

villages even, schools, dispensaries, establishments

of

all

sorts, and new dwelling places, were being built. Roads

extend gradually into the desert, where life is going to be

reborn.

These words

of

the

Gazi:

Turk, ogun,

s:alis

giiven Turk, be proud, work, have confidence)

engraven on the

monument

in Ankara, form the

fundamental principles

of

the Turkish renovation.



--

IV

THE

PROBLEM

OF

W TER ND

THE FUTURE

OF TURKEY

A

MONG the numerous and delicate questions which

confronted the Turkish Government desirous of

raising a hardy race on territory which was largely

desert was one of fundamental importance the

question ofwater.

On

this question depends the future

ofTurkey

and it

merits serious study not only on account

of its importance but also because of its original nature.

No nation has

had

to concern itself in the same manner

with its water supply.

No

nation either

in

the process

of organisation has suffered so

much

from the lack of

this element. Now this anxious problem which one

encounters

at

each step

in

Turkey

is

imperfectly

understood by us.

In my

opinion the energy which

Atatiirk displayed in attacking this problem is evidence

of the genius of the

man

who set himself

at

once to

vercome this redoubtable obstacle

of

nature.

And

he

triumphed where no other would have attempted the

problem.

To understand the real value of this enterprise

it is

necessary to know the m ~ n geographical

and

climatic

conditions

of

Turkey or rather of Anatolia s

that

is

3



A T A T t l R K

the main and most important

part

of the country

concerned.

Anatolia consists of a great central plateau surrounded

on all sides

by

chains

of

mountains whose altitude

exceeds a

mean

height of 3 000 feet. The most elevated

escarpements enclosing this plateau are on the North

those which stretch from

Trebizond

to Castamouni

culminating in

Mt. Ararat the highest point

in

Asia

Minor

10 000

feet high

and

in the South the grand

circle of the Anti-Taurus and

the

Taurus whose summits •

reach more

than

6 0 0 0

feet.

s

a result although

surrounded on all sides by the sea Asia Minor has a

continental climate

and

a fact particularly grave for

- the future

of

the country there is everywhere a progres

sive drying up causing a loss of economic resources. A

rich vegetation and a large population can only exist

on the southern banks

of

the Black Sea on the borders

of

the Aegean

and

the Mediterranean where the winds

cause an abundant rainfall.

All the rest of this

great

country stifled

behind

these

high

mountain

walls which rise behind the sea-coast

and collect the whole rainfall is turned into a desert.

All this immense territory which constitutes the largest

area

in

Turkey

is

a region of

steppe;

there are only

little islands

of

cultural land.

But it is

certain

the zones of cultivation

can

be

gradually

extended when water is available. And this

problem of finding water

is

not

insoluble;

for there

is

a rainfall in Anatolia though only for short seasons.

Now if one

cannot

yet regulaIize the rainfall for re-



PROBLEM OF W TER ND FUTURE OF TURKEY

fi)restry is hardly to be hoped for, one can at least regulate

the deficiency.

One can

make use

of

the streams which

during the

rainy

season flow from the extreme edges of

the plateau, dams

can

be constructed from which water

can

be led to the cultivated

land

or the centres of popu-

lation.

The

problem of the conservation of water is

fundamental to the growth of population

in

Asia Minor.

The

transformation of the desert

ladd in

Anatolia into

fertile

and

smiling districts will permit,

at

the same time,

a considerable increase

in

population.

Atatiirk shewed,

in

no uncertain manner, his deter-

mination to solve this

problem:

he has,

so

to speak,

played the first card

in

founding the capital of the New

Turkey

in

the

heart

of Anatolia, a region of desert.

Ankara, which

is

to be the centre of this great nation,

will extend by degrees its circle of intellectual

and

natural culture. Ankara will be the living example,

the

heart

and soul of the renovation of Turkey.

Since then all efforts have been directed towards this

end: to find water.

And

these efforts have

met with

success:

it is

scarcely ten years since the

idea

took shape

and

already an immense

dam

the Cubuk Baraje,

which has cost the Government more

than 75

million

francs, will soon provide filtered water for

Ankara

and

irrigation,

by

means of large canals, for the surrounding

country. Meanwhile, one gets the necessary water

where one can; the drinking water comes from Istanbul

by

train, the other

is

collected

in

small quantities every-

where.

One

finds

it in

unexpected

places;

for instance

the Institute

of

Hygiene uses water discovered when the

¢



34

T T U R K

foundations were dug. Little

by

little life organizes

itself the population increases rapidly vegetation covers

areas hitherto desert gardens perfume with their flowers

the greater

part of

the public establishments.

They

are

very fine in

that of

the Ministry of Public Instruction

where

under

acacias already tall the water murmurs

among

the roses the

red

sages

and

a crowd of plants

familiar

in

southern France.

t

was

not

without a feel-

ing

of real emotion

that

I witnessed one

of

the most

noble victories

that

man

has ever won. By means of

patience

and

determination life

and

riches replace

death

and

misery.

When I arrived in Istanbul I was again made aware

of this question

of

water which presents there a different

and

very curious aspect. Whilst walking

in

the streets

my

attention was immediately

attracted by

numerous

electric bells similar to those that with us announce the

presence of a cinema

and that

a film

s about

to

commence. I looked for the cinema

in vain and

my

Turkish friend shewed me laughing a white

shop front from which the sound proceeded.

-

trigued I questioned

him and

learnt the sound pro-

ceeded simply from a shop where water

s

sold

of

which

there are

many

in

Turkey.

For

one piastre

that

s

for

a little more

than 2

sous one

can r ~ k

a glass of this

iced water kept

in

a reservoir placed behind the

wooden front the counter opening on to the street. I

must point

out

here the predominant roll played

by

water

in

the lives of the inhabitants. One

can

say that

throughout Turkey it is the national drink.



PROBLEM O W TER ND FUTURE O TURKEY 5

In Istanbul water circulates

everywhere;

there are

many shops for its sale whilst itinerant vendors are still

more

numerous; in

the restaurants water

is

given you

in

place

of

wine.

It

is

sold

in

the street

in

the

train

and

on the ships

in

the Bosphorus. A glass of water

in

-

variably accompanies a cup

of

Turkish coffee

and it is

water

that

your host offers you

if

you are thirsty.

From whence comes all this water lavish even

in

Ankara?

I

had

the curiosity to

go

to its source or

rather

its

sources; they are numerous

on

the outskirts

of

Istanbul

principally in the neighbourhood of the Bosphorus.

In

particular Kocatas

and

Tasdelen are places of

excursion much appreciated by the people of Istanbul.

T hey make frequent picnics to the edge

of

the Sweet

Waters

and

boast with justice of the benefits they

derive from them.



v

THE PL NNED POLITIC L DEVELOPMENT O TURKEY

T

HE political life

of Turkey-I

mean by

political

the combination of the divers organizations which

assure the life

of

the country, politics strictly

so

called,

industry, commerce, finance, education; in a word all

that constitutes the method of furthering the national

life-has, s

a fundamental basis, this declaration of

Atatiirk at the Congress of the People's Republican

Party

held at Ankara

in

1927 :

We

are ' Republicans.'

We

are ' Nationalists.'

We

are ' Populistes.'

We

are ' Etatistes.'

We

are ' laic.'

We

are

' Revolutionaries.'

It is

advisable to explain, first of all, each of these six

principl

es

represented on the Kemalist

banner by

the

arrows which spread

out

like the rays

of

the rising sun

behind the citadel of Ankara.

We are Republicans.' -The Turkish State is a

Republic which was proclaimed

on

the 29th October,

1923. Its constitution, promulgated on the 30th April,

3

6



PLANNED POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TURKEY 37

1924, establishes

that:

everything proceeds from the

nation.

The

latter chooses,

in

its own name, a single

Assembly of Dep

uties:

this is the Grand National

Assembly, elected for four years.

The

Electors are the

Turks of

both

sexes who have reached the age of 8 (age

of the civil majority),

and

those eligible are the electors

who have attained 30 years

and

who can read

and

write in

Turki

sh. The Assembly chooses from among its mem

bers a President of the Republic for the duration of a

parliament. The latter presents to the Assembly the

Ministers

of

State he has designated.

Nothing can be done without the approval of the

Grand

National Assembly (G.N.A.), which represents

directly the nation.

Many

writers have affirmed,

in

complete error, that

this

is

nothing but a fas:ade behind which

is

the

Kemalist Dictator"

And

they explain this by saying

that in

reality everything emanates from the single will

of the President of the Republic. This

is

a gross

exaggeration: it is true, indeed, that Atatiirk himself

chose his collaborators

and

that the G.N.A. which

should control

them

in

the name

of

the nation, consists

exclusively of deputies from the Republican Party, of

which he was the President.

t

is

very necessary,

however, to recognize this important fact, the Govern

ment

made

ref

orms, voted the budget, promulgated the

laws, and in a word, governed under the aegis and

impulsion of Atatiirk, in complete accord with the

G.N.A., which was free to discuss them and even oppose

its veto. Finally, s we shall see later, it is the Republi-



T T O R K

can

Party

of the People which settles the political

programme of the Government.

Kemalism, therefore,

is

a democratic regime working

to a definite programme initiated

by

Kamal

Atatiirk.

The latter thus traced the road which the Turkish nation

must follow according to the means which it itself

judges to

be

the best

adapted;

for Atatiirk directed,

advised, and ordered everything

and

this was accepted

by all

s

being

in the

general interest. The Turkish

people realize

that

its life depended on the energy of its

Great Chief

and

put complete confidence in him.

Atatiirk did not govern

s

a Despot,

but

with the

complete assent

of

his people, who venerated him

s

a

national Hero.

In a word, we find here, acclaimed by the people, the

real image of democracy. Kemalism, comparable to

no other system, is

an

"authoritative" Republic, seeking

its inspiration in the formula, "by the people for the

people.

One

could not justly maintain

that

Atatiirk

was a dictator in the

manner

of Mussolini, Hitler or

Stalin "We

only resemble ourselves, he declared

with truth. He created a form of democratic govern-

ment where complete liberty reigns, not forgetting,

however,

that"

Libe

rty

is

like

fire:

beneficient

if

con-

trolled; abandoned to

it

self

it

burns

and

destroys.

This is why discussion

and

criticism, absolutely free

among members of the Republican Party, is not per-

t t e

outside its limits nor can iLbe directed against the

Party. But the adversaries of the regime have dis-

appeared rapidly, and the Kemalists are gradually



PLANNED

POLITICAL

DEVELOPMENT OF TURKEY 39

relaxing their veto

as

the foundations of

the New

Turkey become consolidated. Already one can speak

of

progress in this direction.

Thus

the present G.N.A.

elected

on

the

8th

February,

1935, has opened its doors

to

an

Opposition. Out of the total number of candi-

dates

put

up by the

Republican

Party, thirteen seats

have been left

vacant

for

independent

deputies.

t

is

necessary to add that these latter are subject to certain

restrictions: the number and the distribution

of

elec-

torates authorized to send up

independent

members

were specified

by

the People's Party,

and

the candidates

had to be

national

republicans. t is also interesting to

observe

the

G.N.A. contains

7 woman

deputies.

We are' Nationalists.'

- I n order

to accomplish its

reorganization

Turkey required

complete tranquillity

and independence. Now, its geographical position

exposes

it

to every

kind

of

propaganda-anarchist,

fascists, marxist,

and

internationalist-harmful to its

renovation. I t is

then by

the

assumption o a.profound

nationalist faith that Turkey can

protect

itself from

destructive influences. A

particular

feature

of

this

nationalism is

rha

t

it

is without imperialistic aims.

This is a very important trait. When one speaks

of

nationalism

one usually indicates a desire to extend

ones frontiers.

To

convince us

of

this

one

has only to

glance at European nationalism.

Now

the Kemalists,

on the contrary, are far from wishing to

introduce

foreign elements

into the country;

they aim at the

homogeneity of the Turkish people. It is often said



T T tJ R K

that Turkey, thrown back on itself, and

rid of

all that

constituted with

it

the Ottoman Empire,

is

rendered

stronger

and

sounder. ,Nothing is more true and the

Kemalists are well aware

of

it.

We are ' Populistes.'

-The

populisme

and

the

nationalism

of

the Turks are interwoven with each other.

I t is in

populisme

that the Turkish people finds its

unity, and this engenders nationalism. This u-

lism has for, its fundamental principle the complete

abolition

of fhe class struggle. The pugnacity of

the workers, depending on the power

of

numbers, like

the arrogance of the capitalists, depending on the power

of money, are stifled. The relations between workmen

and employers are inspired with the harmony and

conciliation necessary for the prosperity of the country.

Strikes

and

lock-outs

are forbidden:

the State

is

the

sole arbiter

in case

of

conflict. Neither class

nor

privilege nor distinction

of

sex exists in Turkey. The

regard for a real democracy, compdsed of individuals

equal in rights and dignity, has gone

so

far

s

to sup

press all kinds of decorations; there does not exist in

Turkey

anything

in

the

nature

of

our

Legion

of

Honour.

No Turk is allowed to accept a foreign

decoration;

the only Turks with decorations are those who possess

the medal given to the heroes of Independence.

n

Turkey, capacity, knowledge,

and

work, is the only

passport to a superior status. ,

We

are 'Etatistes.'

-

Etatisme

in

Turkey

has

no resemblance to marxism which decrees that every-



IST NBUL

o fart p



PLANNED

POLITICAL

DEVELOPMENT OF

TURKEY

4

thing should be done by the State

and

nothing left to

individual initiative. Quite on the contrary, according

to the true. .sense of Turkish etatisme, initiative is

free to

all;

but

the State exercises a general supervision

over all economic enterprises.

The

State will create

itself

and

control the industries which it encourages and

protects. Pr:ivate industry cannot ensure the economic,

fl,lture of the country. The State itself draws

up

a vast

plan

of industrialization: it constructs factories

and

places them under skilled management. Everywhere

where

it

is

found desirable,

it

establishes monopolies,

which give

added

vigour to weak institutions in the

economic life.

We are ' laic.' -Al l reforms

in

Turkey, political,

social, intellectual, economic are profoundly laic. It

would be useless to enumerate

them

here as they are too

well-known ' already.

We are' Revolutionaries.' -Fa r from considering

their task complete, the leaders

of

the Republic are carry

ing out, with incredible energy, a series of reforms in

tended to keep the country in a continuous

state

of

evolution till -its reorganization

is

completed. For

fourteen years, evolution has succeeded evolution

and reform reform. With

an

irresistible elan, Turkey

is

insensibly becoming the Nation

that

Atatiirk

desired. The revolution pursues its course with a

regular

and

sure rhythm; nothing is allowed to delay

for an instant any reform

judged

indispensable; the

order given by Ata tiirk was immediately carried out.



4

A T A T t l R K

t

was the

Great

Chief, as the Turks liked to call

him, who each day dictated his will to the whole country.

How

are

these fundamental political principles

put

into practice? To understand this, attention must be

directed to the following point: in Turkey there exists

only one political party; the People's Republican Party,

of which Atatiirk was the President. No other party

can

exist. Now the Republican

Party of

the People

assembles in Congress for four years to examine the

progress

made in

the reorganization

of

the country

and

to settle the programme for the next session. This

programme, which includes the whole administration

necessary for the national life, is established on the

principles we have

just

enumerated. t

is

rigorously

applied by members

of

the Government, ministers and

deputies, all

part of

the Republican Party. This party

is

derived from the Association for the Defence

of

the

rights of Anatolia

and

Roumelia

and

was founded in

its present form on the th September, 1923. The

first Congress

of

the

party

was held at Sivas,

under

the

abovementioned name; the second took place in

Ankara in 1927, the third also at Ankara in 1931, and,

finally, the fourth assembled in September, 1935.

As regards foreign policy,

Turkey

also pursues a care-

fully studied and rigorously applied plan;

it

is con-

cerned above all in

maintaining its independence,

vis a. vis

the

Great

Powers. But without looking for

an

alliance, which might ensue in tutelage, she does not

disdain to seek aid from those who wish to help her.



PLANNED

POLITICAL

DEVELOPMENT

OF TURKEY 43

She takes

and

applies to her own purposes, the best

that

each modern State has to offer; her method

of

renova-

tion is, in a manner, a synthesis of the progress of all

other

people, assimilated with skill

by

the Turkish people,

who are not lacking in brilliant qualities.

Turkey

demands the genius

of

each people for collaboration in

its work

of

organization; she takes from France

and

Germany the Professors for

her

Universities, the scient-

ists for her laboratories, the architects for her important

buildings, doctors

and

a crowd of other specialists;

from the Soviet Republic, the engineers

and

artisans

for her industrialization. From this collaboration results

the solidly established friendship between Turkey

and

the Soviet.

When one considers the foreign policy of Turkey, a

question

at

once arises:

Has the Treaty of Lausanne (24th July, 1923)

definitely closed the Eastern Question

s

far s Turkey

is

concerned?

t seems one can reply

in

the affirmative; the Eastern

Question s

it

meant then-the complete domination

of Turkey by the European Powers-cannot now

exist

in

view of the political stability of

the

Turkey of

Atatiirk.

The

Turks have

at

last found the right geographical

frame

for founding a

Turkish

Nation. Thrown

back on Asia Minor

and

Thrace, on to a land where the

Turks, coming from Central Asia, founded their true

home

in

distant

and

even prehistoric times, the Kemal-

ists show themselves worthy descendants of the Hittites.



44

A T A T t t R K

They

wish to revive

in

all its

gloJ. Y

Turkish civilization

on

Turkish soil.

This indissoluble

bond

with a definite geographical

region is the

primary

condition

of

a national existence.

Thus, Ankara, the capital of the young Republic,

is

the symbol

and

token

of

the attachment of the Turks

for this country.

Sprung from the community of Islam, the soul

of

the

Turk

delights

in

the stony soil ofAsia Minor and Thrace.

Now this territory, the bridge which unites Europe and

Asia, is almost exactly

in

the geographical centre

of

the

world. It is the natural platform for the international

terrestial

and

aerial routes. It forms also one of the

strongest strategical positions on the

great

maritime

highways.

The

Kemalists, aware

of

the importance

of

this posi-

tion

and

' the great dangers

it

might entail for the life

of

the nation, have done everything to assure,

by

a policy

diametrically opposed to

that

of the Sultans, the in-

tegrity

of

their soil.

For

the same reasons, the whole

foreign policy

of

Turkey is based on the principle of non-

interference in their affairs. The Turks accept willingly

all

collaboration

useful for their work of renovation,

but

they will

not

on any account

hear

of

the word

influence.

The Soviet Republic is the first State with which

Turkey has established good relations. There

are

several reasons for this. First of all, the Russian Revolu-

tion, far from injuring the Turkish Republic, marked

the

end

of the fatal menace which her powerful enemy

:



PL NNED

POLITIC L

DEVELOPMENT

OF TURKEY

45

in the North so long exercised. Further the Soviet

Republic and

Turkey were

at

this moment engaged

in

the same struggle against the Western Powers. This

• amity has been maintained since then.

It

is

all

the

more

solid because a strong Turkey

at

the entrance of the

Black Sea and on the Anatolian glacis protects some

very vulnerable parts

of

Soviet territory. s for Turkey

her friendship with Russia saves her from having to face

on two fronts. Finally it means for the two countries a

sensible increase

of

their- prestige in Asia.

Germany

by

means

of

generosity publicity

and

suppleness maintains very close relations with Turkey.

Like the Soviet Republic she at once recognized the

vast role she could play in a country

that

was being com

pletely reorganized by according her collaboration.

Thus a large part of the industrialization

of

Turkey is

being accomplished with German engineers apparatus

and

credits.

The

trade

between the two countries

is

prosperous. Finally the higher instruction which is

creating the intellectual elite charged with pursuing the

Kemalist programme is entirely in the hands

of

German

professors technicians and scientists.

The establishment offriendly relations between Greece

and

Turkey is

of

no

less

importance. In a decisive

- moment for the Near East Venizelos

and

Atatiirk

transformed t ~ enmity which

had

existed so long .

between them into a firm friendship. This rid

Turkey

of

an

adversary who if he was not dangerous in himself

could have been used by one or other of the European

Powers.

t

is an insurance against a Balkan coalition



A T A T t l R K

as existed in 1912. Resulting from conversations at

Lausanne

in

1923 between

Ismet

Inonii and Venizelos

and sealed by the treaty of Ankara in 1930 the Turco

Greek

entente

grows firmer

each

day.

One

does

not

often find in modern diplomacy such a collaboration.

It

s

ofgreat importance because it forms the nucleus ofa

new Balkan world

in

which the Great Powers will be

unable to exercise a determining influence. After the

failure of the treaty of Sevres

Italy

was for a long time

the only nation to enter into friendly relations with the

young Republic. Following a severe crisis which

menaced the two States they concluded

in

1928 a

treaty of neutrality which will favour also the

Turco-Greek rapprochement. Since then an excellent

feeling reigns between Rome and Ankara. However

Turkey does not forget that Italy

s

the most

dynamic

of

her

great

neighbours; the only one which under pres-

sure

of

excess population

might

still look

on

Anatolia

as a possible land for colonization. I f this danger does

not

exist for the moment it still imposes on Turkey the

need for vigilance.

However it appears

that

recent conversations

at

Milan

between

Ruchtu

Aras and Count

Ciano

have quite dis-

sipated any misunderstanding between Turkey and

Italy.

The

initiative on the part of

Turkey

to create a

rapprochement between the two countries has a very

good chance of succeeding.

The

Kemalist revolution has damaged France much

more

than

any other country

in

its cultural economic

and

financial interests. Indeed the

supremacy

of France



PLANNED POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

OF

TURKEY 47

in Tm:key used to depend on those very elements which

the revolution· has destroyed.

The

religious Protec

torate the Capitulations the intellectual and financial

domination have all disappeared with the

Ottoman

Empire. Thus a thousand sources of influence specific

ally French have dried up. Also our country has taken

a long time

in

playing its part

in

the state

of

affairs

sanctioned by the treaty f Lausanne. France resigns

herself

not

without regrets to the loss of immense

privileges. And while all the

Great

Powers understand

the capital importance

of

good relations with Kemalist

Turkey and little by little take our place

in

the Levant

France still hesitates to throw overboard its former

conceptions. However the Government

of

Ankara to

whom the friendship of Paris

is

precious

asks

only to

reaffirm this ancient amity.

It

depends almost entirely

on

France to create for herself a place of honour

in

Turkey. But Turkey absolutely independent will only

have relations with other nations on an equal footing.

Now

French

influence has left deep traces

in

Turkey

where our

country

our

principles

our

culture still

enjoy

great

preference.

The

Turks who have with the

French

many

affinities

in

spirit ideology character

and

temperament only ask for

our

sincere support

in

the

formation

of

their country. Kemalist

Turkey

wishes

to collaborate closely with France and more than

any

other this union can be a powerful influence for world

peace.

Our

relations are very cordial and to make

them quite sincere it is only necessary for us to settle a

painful dispute by according to the Hatay the inde-



A T A T U RK

pendence which

it

has been long claiming and

abandon

the last trace of

our

old influence and domination over

the Turkish people.

On

the 29th May 1937

France

and

Turkey

came to a

definite accord which settled the deplorable dispute

resulting from the Franco-Syrian

treaty

concluded

in

September

la

st.

The

negotiations were conducted

wi

th

perfect courtesy

under

the auspices

of

the League

of

Nations and whilst reinforcing the basis

of

friendship

between the two countries shewed

in

a convincing

fashion

that

the most thorny questions

can be

equitably

solved

by

the International

Tribune of

Geneva to the

great

benefit

of

world peace. This unfortunate affair

of

the

Sandjak of

Alexandretta

and

of

Antioch was

the

only cloud darkening the horizon of the excellent

Franco-Turkish relations.

The regulation of the definite

status

of this region

in

which Turkey France and Syria

have

primary

interests has been left till now

in

a state

of vagueness. French diplomacy profoundly imbued

with th traditional principles of our policyin the Levant

has repeatedly delayed the settlement of this question.

However it constituted the focus

of

a grave danger.

France refusing to face realjties while continuing to

pursue the traditions to which she owes her prestige

ran

the risk of transforming them into a pernicious

routine. One thing is clear however-we recognized

it when signing the agreement

in

Ankara

in

1921-

the Sandjak is essentially Turkish. This region which

the Turks call

Hatay

is historically Turkish; the

Hittites founded one

of

the

se

ntres of their civilization



PLANNED POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TURKEY

49

there.

And

even to-day, this province, which three

thousand years before the Christian era had economic

relations with the Sumerians, contains a large m£ jority

of

autochthonous Turks.

Their

personality has sur

vived intact a succession

of

cataclysms in a country

which has been subject to invasion

by

a number of

different races. This is a fact

that

scientific enquirers

can always verify

at

leisure.

The Ratay is so

character

istically Turkish

that

even the most superficial observer

might judge it

useless to convince himself by historical

and

ethnographic studies.

The

Turkish language

is

dominant in the Sandkak. Arabic is spoken,

but

only

by the Alaouites

and

the Christians.

The

Alaouites,

the Armenians

and

the Greeks nearly all know Turkish."

These are the words

of

General J acquot, who

is not

exactly a Turcophil.

• Now, from a geographical point of view also, Ratay

is

Turkish.

Its configuration has no resemblance to

that

of Syria

and

is

formed by folds

of

the

Taurus

range.

The land

by

the homogeneity of its structure

fits

admirably into

the physical contour of Anatolia. Finally,

in

this

country, where all the geographical names are Turkish,

there is the same vegetation s in

Cilicia, the same

climate.

One

can

say from all points

of

view Syria

and

Ratay

are profoundly different.

Nevertheless, neither the Franco-Syrian treaty

of

the

9th September, 1936, nor the Franco-Turk agreement of

Ankara

on the 20th October, 1921, have settled definitely

the fate of the Sandjak. On the contrary, without con-



50

ATATURK

sidering its engagements vis a. vis Turkey, France was

content simply to unite the Sandjak in the new state of

Syria. Judge then

of

the feelings of the Turks at the

announcement

of

this

news How

does one imagine

the Turks can live under the rule

of

the Syrians? How,

above all, can one believe the Turkish Republic would

disinterest itself in the fate

of

its brothers to the point of

not demanding respect for the terms

of

the Franco

Turk agreement of

1921,

that is the giving of guarantees

for the autonomy

of Hatay

?

But

in

view

of

the violence

of

the Turkish press, the

French Government realized Turkey was bent on

obtaining, at all costs, an equitable settlement of this

question, which it had made a national cause. Also it

worked for

an

amicable arrangement in a fine spirit of

conciliation. A definite agreement, which favours the

interests of both sides s far s possible, has resulted.

The

terms,

upon

which the French

and

Turkish delega

tions are agreed and which are ratified by the Council

of the League of Nations, stipulate briefly:

I The territory of Alexandria

and

Antioch becomes

an

autonomous province within the cadre of the

Syrian State.

2.

This territory is under the control

of

the League

of Nations.

3. A Franco-Turkish treaty guarantees its frontiers.l

Finally, the last of the big European Powers, England,

has resumed

normal

relations with Turkey. Great

1 France has ceded the Hatay to Turkey since these words were written Trans.)



•

•

PLANNED

POLITICAL

DEVELOPMENT OF

TURKEY 5

I

Britain who had been the animator and principal factor

in the struggle to

death

between the Western States

and

the Ottoman Empire obtained what she wanted at

Laus

anne:

the demilitarization

of

the Straits

and

the

cession of the Mosul vilayet. The Montreux Con

ference having

put

an end to the first of these obligations

the Anglo-Turk rapprochement soon resulted. Eng

land in accepting the remilitarization of the Straits

has obtained the privilege of supplying the greater part

of the required armaments and has now a vast field of

exploitation for her capital

in

Turkey.

The

visit

of

King Edward

VIII

which sealed the renewal of friendly

relations with Turkey has been followed immediately

by economic and financial missions sent to Turkey to

discover a plan of co-operation between the two States.

To

sum up Kemalist Turkey has entered into re

lations with all the

Great

Powers without forming any

alliance which might entail tutelage.

Iran

Irak and Afghanistan where the national

consciousness has also awakened are

ready

to reject

any

domination by the

European

Powers.

The

community

of

interest which

Turkey and

these three Powers have

declared leads direct to a political solidarity between

them

in which Turkey

s

the spiritual H ead.

Teheran

Bagdad

and

Kabul

are

profiting from the experience

of

Ankara whose cultural influence on

her

three

neighbours increases every day. Turkish Professors and

Specialists teach in Afghanistan and the young Afghans

are

endeavouring to perfect themselves in the Turkish

language. The hostility

of

several centuries between



5

T T U R K

Turkey and

Iran has given place to a real entente.

s

to

Turco-Irakian

friendship, this has been recently con

secrated,

in

July,

1937,

by

the visit

of

Nadji-EI-Asil to

Ankara

and the

journey

of

Djelal Bey and Rustu Aras

to Bagdad.

Turkey is not able, nor does she wish, to prevent her

national resurrection being an example to the Orient

or to the Turkish minorities. But she is careful to avoid

influencing them

in

this matter.

n

no country

neither

in

Arabia, Irak, Bulgaria, Greece, nor the Soviet

Republic-can irredentism be said to be encouraged

by

Turkey, who is concerned solely, with nationalism in

her

own country. Besides, a big immigration movement

is taking Turks back to their mother country.

n

short, Turkey, by means of a prudent and adroit

foreign policy,

can

pursue

in

safety the consolidation

of

her

country. The greed

of

acquisition which was the cause of

the Eastern Question will no longerprevail against her.

n ending this account

of

the foreign policy of Turkey,

it is essential to call to mind that this State, which has

contributed in a large measure to the creation

of

the

Balkan

Entente,

and of

whiS h

it

is

now the most

ardent supporter, is directing the organization and

union of the Eastern peoples

by

its signature to the

Eastern Pact. Turkey, the moral and geographical

link between the Balkan

and

Asiatic Ententes, l is

their real centre

of

gravity.

One

knows

that

the

Balkan Entente

comprises Yugoslavia, Greece,

Roumania

and

Turkey.

The re

ce

nt

Asiatic Entente

includes

Iran, Irak,

Afghanistan,

and

Turkey. Bulgaria, Syria

and Egypt

will probably soon agree

to

join

these organizations.



AN

K AR A

GOVE

R T

[ENT OFFICES

o

j re p i



•

t

VI

TH INSTITUT OF

TH

R VOLUTION

T

H

University has to accomplish in Turkey a much

more

important

task than in

any

other country.

On

it

devolves the need

of

forming the intellectual

elite which, imbued with Turkish revolutionary ideology,

will assure the future .of the Republic. It is on the

University that the complete success of the national re-

organization depends.

t

supports and propagates the

revolutionary spirit in the country, inspired by the

principles of the People s Republican Party. It forms

an intellectual youth which, impregnated with the Kemal-

ist doctrines, will spread its influence

in

all domains of

national activity. Thus the circle of the disciples and

defenders of the Republic will gradually expand. More-

over, for the regime to be solidly established, it must

rely on leaders inspired with its fundamental principles:

it

must

count on the Professor charged with the forma-

tion of a new generation, on the Officer who defends its

security, on the Doctor and Advocate who propagate its

ideology, on the Engineer placed

at

the head of some big

enterprise, finally, on each of its functionaries. Again,

all the vital forces of the country being mobilized for

the political, social and economIC reorganization, it

is

5



54

ATATURK

indispensable that each member of the hierarchy works

with all the ardour and enthusiasm of

an

idealist, con-

scious

of

the immense importance

of

his role.

For

that,

the Turkish intellectual must be acquainted with the

political, social,

and

economic history of the New

Turkey

and

with the Kemalist doctrines. Turkish

History, properly so called, should then play

an

im-

portant

role

in

higher education.

It is

to be said

that

this national History, even

at

this

day

largely unknown

or falsified,

is

gradually being lifted from the obscurant-

ism which enveloped it, thanks to the labours of the

Turk Tarihi Tetkik Cemiyeti (Society for the study

of Turkish History). Turkish History

is born

and

takes its place

in

Universal History, not without .over-

throwing the old

and

false conceptions of Western

historians.

The

Turkish academic spirit has led logically to the

foundation,

in

the Universities of

Ankara and

Instanbul,

of

the

Institute of the Revolution, which occupies

an

extremely important position

in

higher education and

has no equivalent

in

any other country. This Institute

S :

I

A centre

of

study

and

of

literature where one

can

find all the books, journals

and

documents concerning

the Revolution.

2.

A museum of the Revolution.

3. A centre of propaganda, which orgamzes public

lectures

and

conferences.

4. A

bureau

ofobservation, charged with following the

evolution

of

revolutionary principles.



ATATORK

with

an

enthusiastic temperament, lectures

on

the con-

stitutional development of the country.

Yusuf Ramal,

former Minister of Economics

and

Foreign Affairs, several times charged

with

diplomatic

missions, has been for a long time Professor of Political

Economy.

In

his lectures he exposes the economic

evolution of Turkey. By a careful study of the Turkish

five year plan, he emphasizes its value

and

necessity for

the national development.

All those working at the University and the High

Schools to obtain their diploma in the higher branches

of

study, are obliged to undergo a year s course at the

Institute of Revolution

and

pass a written examination.

Each of the four Professors is assisted by a young man,

of not more

than

thirty years of age who, under the

title of Docent (in charge of the course), himself sets

the examination questions

and

has full responsibility

to correct the answers. It is very interesting to note

that

youth plays an important part in instruction; the

young students s soon s they get their diploma are

entrusted with most

important

duties

in

the University.

The instruction of youth by youth, such

is

the first truth

that

emerges from this study.

?



V

TURKEY AN ARABLE AND STOCK BREEDING COUNTRY

URKEY

is

essentially a land suitable for growing

crops and raising

stock;

Asia Minor has been

esteemed for this since very ancient times.

The

principal

crops are wheat barley and maize; then come rye and

oats; finally in very small quantities millet and rice.

Their

cultivation is actively pursued in view of the

economic

plan

to make Turkey

by

degrees self-support

ing.

As Turkey is

quite independent from the political

point of

view so she must become in the economic

sense: she must no longer depend on foreign purchases

and hence must produce sufficient for her own needs.

This

plan

has already given appreciable results. Before

the World

War

the country imported 80 thousand tons of

wheat and 170

thousand tons of flour per annum

Now in 1935 Turkey has no need of foreign imports

of

wheat; on the contrary indeed she exports more than

1 10 thousand tons a year. The regions round Adana

Erzeroum Konia and Sivas are the most favourable for

this crop.

The

production

of

other cereals increases rapidly :

the

amount

of barley grown in particular is doubled

7



58

T T U R K

every year. Lastly on poor soil beans peas lentils

and

potatoes are cultivated.

~

vine

fig

olive

and

apricot trees which exist

in

great quantities on Anatolian soil nourish prosperous

industries.

It

is

in

Western Anatolia

in

the regions

of

Izmir

Magnesia and Brusa that the soil and climate are

par-

ticularly favourable to the production of grapes. One

must

not

forget

that

Asia Minor

is

the

original home

of the vine. One finds here the famous

Sultanas,

succulent grapes without pips of which

90%

are used for

the making

of

arak

and

dried raisins. A great

quantity

of

the last two products are sent to England Germany

Holland and Italy. The vilayet ofSmyrna is the biggest

centre for the cultivation

of figs.

There a huge forest

of

fig trees extends on which grow hundreds

of

millions

of figs

which are left to dry on the branches.

Then

they

are transported to special establishments where they are

exposed to the sun. After a careful grading

and

packing

carried out under strict hygienic conditions they are

ready for consumption.

The

greater part is exported.

All the river banks of Turkey are

planted

with olive

trees the fruit of which is almost entirely used for the

manufacture

of

oil largely consumed

in

the country.

We ought to mention also the hazel and pistachio nuts;

the first grow

in

great numbers

on

the littoral

of

the Black

Sea

in

the region which stretches from Ordu to Tre-

bizond.

The

nuts are sold abroad: Trieste is the

principal purchaser then comes Hamburg, Marseilles

London

and

New York. Pistachio nuts are grown

in



TURKEY AN

ARABLE

AND STOCK-BREEDING COUNTRY 59

the opposite region

on

the frontier of Syria. Three-

quarters .9f this crop

about

5 thous

and

tons are exported

to America France Egypt

and

Greece.

One

must

not

also forget

that

Turkey produces melons. What traveller

has not been astonished

at

the incredible quantity of this

fruit? They

are seen everywhere

and

eaten everywhere;

every

day

ships discharge cargoes of

them on

the quays of

the Golden

Horn and

Kadikoy.

Itinerant

pedlars

carrying heavy loads

of

them on

their backs

or on

donkeys swarm

in

all the towns

and

villages of Turkey.

Mulberry trees for the production of silk worms grow

in Turkey

and

quantities of cotton tobacco opium

poppies

and

liquorice are cultivated. Forests

of

mul-

berry

trees grow

in

the district of Brusa the great

centre

of

Turkish silk industry. Smyrna

and

Adana

are the chief centres of cotton culture. Whilst at

Smyrna this is undertaken by small proprietors at

Adana

there are large establishments on the American

style

there cotton

is

produced on

an

intensive scale.

Turkey should become one of the great world producers

of

cotton

financiers

and

landed

proprietors are aware

of the wealth which will accrue to Anatolia

by

develop-

ing this crop. Its production is continually

on

the

increase.

In

the region

of Adana

alone there are about

4 million acres devoted to it. Production

may

reach

1 500 000

bales a year.

At

present it is only

150 000

bales

but

one must remember

that in

1917

it

was only

10 000 bales. Stability of price

is

assured

by

a per-

manent

understanding between the cotton bourse at

Adana and those

in

Liverpool Alexandria

and

Bombay.



6

ATATOR K

The

seed planting culture and handling

of

the crop

is

rigorously controlled

by

strict regulations. Thus a

selection

of

the best grades

of

cotton

can

be

made

establishing the superiority of Turkish cotton

in

the

world. Most

of it is

exported to

England and

Italy.

Cotton

is

also found

on

the frontiers

ofN.E.

Asia

Minor;

the whole of this about

15 000

bales is sent to Russia.

Turkish tobacco is

renowned throughout the world.

This

is

due to its excellent quality obtained

by

careful

preparation

in

the selection of seed

and

choice of the

most suitable ground.

The

culture and gathering of the

crop is carried out under the direction of the tobacco

monopoly who exercise a careful control. Samsun

Smyrna

Trebizond

and Brusa are the principal centres

of

production.

It

is

in

the region

of

Sam

sun

and

Smyrna

that the best quality is grown while that of Brusa pro

duces the greatest quantity twenty to twenty-five tons

a year. America heads the list of consumers then come

Italy Germany Holland Scandinavia and a long

way last France.

In

the

month of

May the flowers bloom

in

the vast

fields

of

poppies which extend to the environs

of

Izmir

Malatia Amasia Afioum

and

Karahissar the famous

opium Black Castle whose citadel perched on top of

a bare rock about 4 000 feet high dominates with its

sombre mass an immense eruptive tract. More than

300 000 peasants are devoted to the cultivation

of

the

poppy which provides each year

about

400 tons of

opium. Istanbul

and

Izmir are the principal markets

for this product. Up till recently the Netherlands



TURKEY AN ARABLE AND

STOCK-BREEDING COUNTRY

61

France

Germany

and England have been the principal

buyers

of

this narcotic. But the latest decisions

of

the

League of Nations on this subject have shut

it

out from

most European ports. Also the Turkish monopoly of

.narcotics is seeking new ground for the disposal

of

the

stocks of opium accumulated in the depots of

Izmir

and Istanbul; it

looks much s if the Orient will replace

Europe s a buyer

of

this product.

Finally Turkey harvests about 30 000 tons

of

liquorice roots utilized in pharmacy confectionery and

in the preparation

of

refreshing drinks. The greater

part

is

set aside for exportation to Europe.

To

sum

up

Turkish agriculture

is on

the way to

becoming very prosperous. Soon

not

only will

it

suffice to feed the country

but

will also give rise to

active commerce with foreign countries. Now from

the point

of

view

of

stock raising Turkey

is

also in a

very favourable position; the vast plateaux

of

Anatolia

are

admirably

adapted

for it.

turkish live stock which suffered serious loss

during the

War of

Independence

is

fortunately

on

the

way to being completely reconstituted.

Horned

animals oxen

and

buffaloes numbered 4 500 000 in

1925 in 1935 this

number

was raised to nearly 5 000 000.

Flocks

of

sheep have also largely increased from

5 000 000 in 1925 to 6 500 000 in

1935.

Goats num-

bered 3 200 000 in 1925 and 4 600 000 in 1935.

It

is

necessary to

remark

particularly the goats

called Ankara which have long hair mohair employed

in the textile industry. Nearly 5 000 tons

of

mohair



ATATUR K

are obtained each year.

England

absorbs three

quarters of this the remainder is exported to the

United States Germany and France.

Among the numerous breeds

of

Anatolian sheep

those of Karamania are famous for the fineness

of

their wool from which carpets coverings and knitted

objects

of great value are made. Turkish wool is

sent principally to the United States and in much

smaller quantities to Bulgaria France

Italy

and

England.

Horse breeding which in the past was on a big scale

has much diminished

in

the last fifty years; only

about

500 ,000 are bred

now. However the horse is coming

into favour

again;

measures are being taken to improve

the strain

and

increase the numbers. The number of

camels

is

declining

and

amounts to

about

80,000.

On

the other

hand

there are s

many

s

I 200 000

donkeys.

It is worth remarking that pigs have been introduced

into Turkey.

When stressing the

important

place

that

agriculture

is taking in Turkish economy one must

not

be influenced

too

much

by

the sight

of

the miserable pedlars

of

water

who dressed in rags infest the whole length

of

railways ;

the future

of

the Turkish peasant

is

assured to-day.

The Government makes laudible efforts to improve his

lot. In his speech at the

4th

Congress

of

the Republican

Party of

the People held

at Ankara

in September

I935

Recep Peker said :

The party

has come to a decision to which the

Government attach great importance to endow the



TURKEY AN

ARABLE

AND STOCK-BREEDING

COUNTRY 6

peasant with land.

We intend to promote special laws

for this purpose. The Constitution and other laws will

be modified

if

necessary

n

Turkey, the citizen

will possess his plot, the cultivator his

land.

Already

the results obtained are brilliant; it is a Turkey of

prosperous farms

that

will be seen, not a Steppe

in

rags.

1 Since

March

1937,

agricultural

Co

mbines

a re being created. These are

real village

Co-operat

ive Societies forming

the

peasants

into groups

for a

more

rational

exploitation of the soil.

Un

cultiva ted

land

s

are bought

from

their

own

ers

an

d

distributed

by

lot to the

peasants

who are charged with

the

task

of

improving their

value

by means of ultra-modern

agricultural implements given

to each Combine.



V

THE INDUSTRIALIZATION OF

TURKEY

W

E know

that Turkey

is a rich agricultural country.

We

can

now enquire

if

she is also

an

industrial

country. We will

reply"

Yes or, at least,

that

she

is

on the way to become

so

very rapidly.

Turkey

pursues

in the industrial domain,

s

in all the others, her plan

of

national renovation

of

which the first principle

is

:

"The wealth

of

Turkey

is

for the Turkish people.

When the Government

of

the Republic assumed power,

only fourteen years ago, the industrial conditions were

disastrous.

The

Conference of Lausanne, in abolishing

the Capitulations and a

number

of gross injustices, had

delivered the New Turkey

in

great part from her bond-

age to Europe; but she still remained the vassal of the

powerful financiers

of

several Western countries.

European capitalist, who had placed their yoke on the

Ottoman Empire, were disposed to continue their

enterprises; commerce, banking, customs, mineral

wealth, railways

and

other monopolies of public

utility were

in

their hands.

What is

more, Turkey, a

purely agricultural country, possessed no national

industry

and

was compelled to sell its products of the

soil, at low price, to foreign countries

and buy

from them,

64



I N D U S T R I A L I Z A T

I O N

0 F T U R

K Y

65

at gold prices, their manufactured articles. t was

necessary to do everything to change this deplorable

state

of things

if

one wished Turkey to grow sound

and

strong and gain its independence.

t

was indispensable

to construct a large

number

of factories which could

work up the national

raw

materials.

Thus Turkey

would

not

have to import all the manufactured goods

necessary for her needs and, moreover, by the progressive

development of her industry she would be giving an

impulse to her agriculture.

The late President of the Council, Ismet Inonii,

undertook this task with feverish

activity;

he is the

real inspirer of Turkish industry. Under his direction

the ,Turkish five year plaIl-w

s

conceived the State,

putting itself

at

the head of the country s economic

reorganization,

had

to construct throughout the

land

an

enormous network

of

factories financed and run

under

its direct control. The realization of this vast pro

gramme of industrialization cost nearly 550 million

francs it

included the textile, cotton, wool and hemp

industry; the mining industry, iron, semi-coke, carbon,

copper

and

sulphur;

the glass

and

porcelain industry

and, finally, the industrial chemistry industry. Now,

not a centime has been borrowed abroad.

1

The

entire Turkish population has made heavy sacrifices for

i t ; the taxes are very high, higher than in any

other

country; officials and employees have given up a

third

Jf their emoluments to the cause. Is

it

not

a fine

1

But Turkey has recently been granted large credits, notably

in

England

lnd Germany (Trans.)



66

T T U R K

example of determined effort for the national well

being a fine example of the unanimity of a whole

people who

have

saved themselves from

the

abyss

and who glad to have escaped

death

are

braced

to-day

to assure themselves a free existence?

These efforts have met with their recompense.

The

completion of the five year plan which was to

end in

1937 is to-day

in

great measure realized.

Throughout

Anatolia factories are continually opening

and

beginning

work immediately.

At

Bakirkoy s a splendid

cloth

factory the first of its kind in Turkey. The first

paper

factory has been established at Smyrna. Alpullu

contains the fourth sugar factory. Finally on the 16th

September

1935

the

famous Kayseri

Combine

was

in

augurated

which has

no

equal in

the Near

East.

Founded

by the

Sumer

Bank which s charged

with the

application

of

the

five year plan this immense cloth

factory contains 1 080 looms 33 000 spindles and will

turn

out thirty

million yards

of yarn per

annum and use

5 thousand tons of cotton. About 3 000

workmen

will be employed there

night

and day which will be

increased to 4 000

when

the

three

gangs are working

together. Everything has been thought out not only

for

the proper running of the

machinery

but

also for

the

well-being of

the

workmen; a school a

stadium and

a

hippodrome will provide

them

with instruction and

sport. The Kayseri Combine follows the most modern

Soviet technique a close collaboration

between

Soviet

Russia and Turkey. The industrialization of Turkey

is being largely carried

out

by Soviet engineers

and



I N D U S T R I L I Z A T

I ON

0 F T U R

KEY

7

specialists.

Future Turkish

engineers

and

specialists

are being

trained in

Moscow.

This

part of

a speech

made

by

Djelal Bayar, Minister

of Economy, at the

inauguration

of the Kayseri, gives

us a clear notion of the industrial

programme

of

Turkey

:

Citizens, we know the fate reserved for those

nations which confine themselves solely to agriculture.

Without being

seduced by this

or

that doctrine, should

we

do

wisely to confine ourselves to providing

the

raw

materials?

This

would

be,

in my

opinion to

occupy

ourselves

with

useless controversy.

Our

predecessors

have expended

all

their

eloquence

on

this subject.

They have

not

considered that those countries which

confine themselves to

be

producers

of raw material,

expose themselves to disastrous results. By establish-

ing

a

harmony

between

these two

domains

of

activity

(agriculture and industry) we

are

doing

the

work of

civilization. Our programme of industrialization

will

lead

us to

that

state

of

perfection to

which we

aspire. In this programme textiles

occupy

an im

portant

place.

The total

revenues

of the Country

are valued

at

two hundred million.. pounds. Yarn

represents fifty millions of that In the past year

we

have opened

the

textile factory

of

Bakirkoy ;

to-day we open that of Kayseri and

in

a few months

we will

open the

Eregli Combine.

In

1937

it

will

be

the

turn of Nazilli.

Do not

think that

our ambition

will stop there. We

must produce

enough to equal

the

consumption

of the country

It

is

true, economic

organization

ought to embrace

all

industries: that

of silk, which was at one time very

prosperous, but

is now

in decline, will

be

revived by

the



8

T T U R K

foundation at Brusa of an important factory managed

by the State. Thanks to the establishment of sugar

factories this article

of

diet

not

long ago considered a

luxury

is

now within reach

of

all. Paper also will

be

lowered in price when the factory at Smyrna is opened.

t

will do away with 50 of the importation a real

scourge for the

country:

the price of a daily paper is

now

0

fr.60

Lastly Sivas

is

becoming one of the principal centres

for cement.

But it

is

not sufficient to construct factories to make

Turkey self-sufficient. t is necessary also to deliver

her

completely from servitude to foreigners to take over

by

degrees the different monopolies of the capitalists.

t is this which the State has undertaken to do

in

the

shortest possible time.

t

buys

out

foreign conces

sionaires; thus the whole of the railways in Asia Minor

and

Thrace now belong to the State.

It is

now acquir

ing the electricity telephone

and

water monopolies

Do not forget that Turkey is par excellence the land of

monopolies which cover all economic activities. Now

the principal aim

of

the

Gove

rnment

is

to become the

sole possessor

of

these. Next it will assume control

of

all mining enterprises.

Turkey

is

rich

in

mineral resources; these include

coal gold copp-er iron tin lead and mercury and

many other minerals. These resources which are far

from being developed will one

day

provide a flourish

ing industry and

admit

of

a large exportation.

t

seems the region Eregli-Zongouldak will

be

able to



I N D U S T R I L IZ T I O N O F

T U R K E Y

69

supply enough oil for the whole Mediterranean Basin.

Finally there

are

in

Anatolia s

many

s twenty petroli-

ferous regions forty outcrops of manganese a hundred

lead

and

as

many

chrome mines.

Much

foreign

capital French erman and Belgian

is

sunk in Turkish

mines. However Turkish Companies are being

organized which with the help of the State will

buy up

and exploit many of these mines.

Thus by means of a vast

and

methodical economic

programme Turkey

will

soon become s powerful

in

industry as she

is

in agriculture capable of rivalling

other nations and completely independent.



X

FRANCO-TuRKISH ECONOMIC RELATIONS

O

UR relations with Turkey are cordial. There is

nothing that divides u from the

point

of view of

general

politics such as

the Mediterranean equilibrium

the Balkan

Pact

or the

st tus

qu

in

Asia.

But

this

perfect

community of

view has

not produced

tangible

results in

the

economic sphere.

The

exchanges between

the

two countries

are

regulated

by

the Commercial Treaty and

Clearing

Agreement signed

at Ankara on the 15th June

1937.

The chief points

in

these negotiations

are:

The

commercial

exchanges

between the

two countries

are arranged

in two ways: by private compensation

and

a general clearing agreement.

All Turkish products in the list of articles which can

be imported into France will be subject to

private

com-

pensation in the course of

future

transactions. Neverthe

less all

the Turkish

merchandise

which

is

permitted

to

enter France may

at the

same time

be used to

regulate

clearing payments. The last convention

of

August

1935 which has just expired provided for this end a

distinction

between merchandise according to its nature.

This new

principle will no

doubt

contribute

to

com-

mercial relations

between the

two nations.

Turkish

essence

of

roses and certain articles of

French

0



7

2 T T U R K

the circle

of our

transactions- by assuring for them the

maximum

of development with the

maximum

facilities.

t

would be very regrettable

if

France were to destroy

through

her own

fault the efforts

and

traditions

of

several centuries of business relations with Turkey.

We ought not to forget indeed that

if

France during

the XVI th

XVIIth XVIIIth

and XIXth centuries

had

almost a monopoly

of trade in

the Levant

it

was

due

to Turkey.

It

is quite time

that

France recovered

her

self-possession

and

forgot the terrible shock caused

by the

loss

of her privileges. She must decide to

take up her task again not

by

trying to reconstruct

that

which has been destroyed but by adapting herself

to the new conditions. Kemalist Turkey does not want

any

more privileges interference tutelage or foreign

influence;

but

she accepts loyally all collaboration

which will assist her national renovation.

The

Soviet

Republic

and

Germany have long held a place

of

honour

in Turkey in the aid furnished

by

Europe to the young

Republic. Great Britain in her turn by a sudden

change

in

her

oriental policy understands

it s

in her

interest to make overtures to Turkey.

The

negotiation

of the Straits Convention which assures to Turkey her

rights in the Dardenelles seals the establishment

of

friendly Anglo-Turk relations

and

opens the way to

a period of co-operation between the two countries.

The

visit

of Edward VIII

to Atatiirk

in

September

1936 has solemnly consecrated the establishment

of

these relations.

The

new Anglo-Turk commercial

agreement has already given excellent results. Great



FRANCO-TURKISH ECONOMIC

RELATIONS

73

Britain

is preparing

to ·

play

a big role

in

Turkish

economy; perhaps even, we are soon going to see a

British, German

and Ru

ssian rivalry. A mission

composed

of

representatives

of

the

big industries

and

finance has gone to Turkey to study the possibilities

of

collaboration

by

the British in the execution of the

Turkish industrial plan.

On

the

other hand,

Mr. Sommerville, President of

the British delegation to the International Parliamentary

conference, has

made

a long stay

at

Ankara, to study

there the construction

of

quarters

of

villas with gardens

in the large towns of Turkey,

by

an English financial

group.

It is

also

important

to note that the journey

of the previous Turkish President of the Council to

England, for the coronation of George

VI,

has like

wise helped to consolidate Anglo-Turk friendly relations.

Meanwhile will France continue to remain sullenly

apart? The following table shows clearly how Franco

Turkish

trade is

diminishing

1923-1936

(in

thou

sands of Ltq

s.

)

ear

Imports xports Differ

enc

e

"tl

19

2

3

13,229

10,5

0

4

- 2,7

2

5

10.8

'

n

19

24 18,302 18,786

+

484 10.1

'

:s

26,957

11.6

19

2

5

24,04

0

- 2,9

1

7

I>l

oq

19

26

3

2

,097

22,645

- 9,45

2

12·9

'

19

2

7

29,173

I

6,9

I I

-14,24

2

12.2

5

19

28

29,

16

9

18

,45

2

-10,7

1

7

II.8

,

...

x'

19

2

9

26,69

0

19,618

7,07

2

11.5

'88

'

193

0

15

,499

18

,457

2,95

8

11.3

tg,

193

1

12,7

88

12,1 5

6

63

2

9.

8

S

193

2

7,19

0

7,820

63

0 8.0

1933 4,903 6,182 1,279 6,9

>-,j

1934

6,44

0

2,

80

9

3,63

1

5.

2

1935

4,

18

4

3,04

0

1,144

3·9

I'\'

;;'

193

6

2,335

3,828

1,493 2·9

::s



x

CONCLUSION

W

E have attempted to

portray

in this modest work

what

the

Kemalists

have

achieved too briefly

alas

for

there

is

material enough

for a considerable

volume. n

no way

affected by Western prejudices

we have sought to

understand

and

study the real

feel-

ings conceptions

and

aspirations which

animate

our

friends the Turks. n the course of our enquiries in

Turkey we have witnessed the

lamentable

decline of

French prestige

and

we

have

thought

it

advisable to call

attention

to it once

again We

have

tried

to eradicate

as far as possible the false notions

which are current

in Europe, and

particularly

in France, about the

Turkish

Republic.

It

will be our best recompense If only a

little attention

is

paid to our remarks.

And

we end by

expressing a wish

that

this vow

of Atatiirk

will

be com

-

pletely realized:

"We

will raise our

fatherland

to the

level of the most prosperous

and

civilized

country

in

the world."

7



X

HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY

OF

THE TURKEY

OF ATATURK

19th May, 1919.-Mustafa

Kemal

at Samsun.

23rdJuly,

1919.-0pening

of

The

Erzeroum Congress.

4th September,

1919.-0pening of

the Sivas Congress.

7th September,

1919.-Founding of

The Society for

the Defence

of

the Rights

of

Anatolia and Roumelia.

27th December, 1919.-Mustafa Kemal

at

Ankara.

16th March,

1920.-Military

occupation

of Istanbul

by

the Allies .

23rd April, 192o.-Inauguration

of

the

Grand

National Assembly

at

Ankara.

24th April,

1920.-Must

a

fa

Kemal

elected President

of

the Grand National Assembly.

9th

January,

1921.-First battle

of

Inonli.

2othJanuary, 92

I.-Adoption of

the

Or

ganic Statute.

8th

February,

1921.-

The

town

of

Ayntab

receives

the name

of

Gaziayntab.

6 th March, 1921.-Conclusion of the Treaty of

Moscow between Turkey and Russia.

30th March,

1921.-Second

battle

of

Inonii.

5th

August, 1921.-Mustafa

Kemal

elected to the

Supreme Command.

1 This comprises only the principal events.

75



T T U R K

23rd August,

192I.-COmmencement

of

the great

battle

of

Sakarya.

19th September, 92

I . -The Grand

National

Assembly bestows the title

of

Gazi (victorious)

on

Mustafa Kemal

and

the grade of Marshall.

13th October,

192I.-Conclusion

of the Treaty

of

Kars between Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan

and

Georgia.

20th October, 92

I . -The Franco-Turk

Agreement

of

Ankara.

31st

July,

1922.-Creation

of

the Tribunals Ot

Independence.

26th August,

1922.-Grand

Offensive on the Afyon

front.

30th August,

1922.-B

attle

of

Doumloupinar.

1st September,

1922.-The

Gazi issues his historic

order to his

army:

"Armies,

your first goal

is

the

Mediterranean,

Forward "

9th

September, 1922.-Turkish

army

enters Smyrna.

1Ith October,

1922.-Armistice

of

Mud

ania.

1st November, 1922.-Abolition of the Sultanate.

1

Ith

August,

1923.-Treaty of

Lausanne.

24th

July, 1923.-Foundation

of the People s Party.

9th

August, 1923.-1vleeting of the 2nd

Grand

Assembly.

2nd October, 1923.-Istanbul freed from the Allied

occupation.

6th

October,

1923.-Triumphant

entry

of

the Turkish

army

into Istanbul.

13th October, 1923.-Ankara made the Capital

of

the Turkish State.



II ST 0 R IC Le II RON 0 LOG Y

29th October, I923.-Proclamation of the Republic.

Gazi Mustafa Kemal elected President of the Republic.

30th October, 1923.-Creatiori.

of

the Council

of

Ministers,

of

which the President takes the name of

First

Ministe

r.

1st March,

1924.-The

State commences the con

struction bf railways.

2nd March,

1924.-Abolition of

the Khalifate.

3rd

March,

1924.-Abolition of

the

Medres

ses.

Members

of

the Dynasty

are

expatriated.

20th April,

1924.-Elaboration of

the laws

of

the

Organic Statute.

26th August, 1924.-Founding of the Commercial

Bank (Ich Bankasi).

loth

November,

1924.-The

People's

Party

takes the

name of

the Republican

Party

of

the People.

24th August,

1925.-Adoption of

the European

hat.

5th November, 1925.-Inauguration

of

the Faculty

of

Law of Ankara.

, 30th November, 925.-Closing of the Tekkes, Turbes

and

Convents.

26th December,

1925.-Adoption of

the international

time

and

calendar.

17th February, 1926.-Adoption

of

the Turkish Civil

Code.

13th March,

1926.-Adoption of

the Turkish Penal

Code.

28th May,

1926.-Law

for the encouragement

of

industry.



ATATURK

28th June, 1926.-Adoption of the Turkish Com

mercial Code.

3rd

October,

1926.-Erection

of

the first statue

in

Turkey (that of the Gazi at Saray Bournou in Istanbul) .

.15th October,

1927.-S

econd Congress of the People's

Party.

15th-20th October,

1927.-Great

historical speech

of

the Gazi. .

28th October,

1927.-First

census of the people in

Turkey.

1st November,

1927.-Second

Grand National

Assembly.

1st January,

1928.-Purchase

of the Anatolian

railway.

24th 1fay, 192?-Adoption of the international

figures.

3rd October, 1928. Adoption of the Latin

characters.

23rd March,

93

I.-Primary education obligatory

for Turkish children.

1st April, 193I.-Adoption

of

the metric system.

15th April,

193I.-Foundation of

the

Society

of

Turkish Historical Studies.

10th May, 193I.-Third Congress of the People's

Party.

19th February, 1932.-Opening

of

the People's

Houses.

12thJuly,

1932.-Founding

of

the Society

of

Turkish

Linguistic

Study.

26th September,

1932.--Grand

Linguistic Conference.



H I S

T O R

I

C L

C H

R O N

0

L O G

Y

79

·25th May,

933.-

-Settlement of the question of

foreign debts.

1st August,

1933.-The

former

Darufulnoun

Istanbul replaced by the University of

Turkey.

934.-Gazi Mustafa Kemal, following the promulga

tion of a law compelling the Turks to take a family

n a m e , ~ assumes that of Atatiirk (father of the Turks)

and

the prenom of Kamal (the fortress). .

20th October, 1935.-Census gives total population

of

Turkey as 16,188,767.

20th July, 1936.-Signing of the new Straits Con

vention at Montreux, which gives

Turkey

full powers

in the Dardanelles

and

the Bosphorus.

26th

Janu

ary, -

1937.-Franco-Turk

Agreement signed

at

Geneva concerning the status of

Ratay.

5th

Febr·uary,

1937.-The

G.N.A. votes modifications

of the

Organic

Statute, incorporating the six

principles of the People's Party.

29th May, 1937.-The Council of the League of

Nations ratifies the Franco-Turk agreement which

recognizes the independence of the Sanjak of

Alexandretta now forming the State

of

Ratay.

12th June 1937.-Atatiirk presents all his country

estates to the Nation.

gerard tongas ataturk and the true nature of modern turkey 0

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